"United We Serve" Officially Kicks Off Today

On Wednesday, June 16, President Obama released a video message announcing the national summer service initiative “United We Serve ”. President Obama is calling for everyone, young and old, and every background to roll up their sleeves this summer to help the communities around them. From June 22 to September 11, “United We Serve” will focus on the administration’s recovery agenda – health reform, energy resources, education, community and economic revival.

“United We Serve” is built upon the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act and plans to strengthen not only national service programs but also other organization tending to community needs. As the economic downturn deepens, so has the need for social services.

During this time, volunteers and nonprofit organizations have grown rapidly. “Economic recovery,” Obama says “is as much about what you’re doing in your communities as what we’re doing in Washington – and it’s going to take all of us, working together.”

The government hopes that this initiative will mobilize millions of volunteers and encourage them to develop their own projects. These so-called “do-it-yourself” projects aim to lay a foundation for a sustained and focused effort to put service in the daily lives of Americans. Serve.gov offers a toolkit that provides different ways to manage participants’ projects. The program encourages everyone to bring their friends, neighbors and family to engage in service opportunities.

“United We Serve” will officially kick off on June 22 at the National Conference for Volunteering Services and ends on September 11. September 11 will be observed this year as the National Day of Service and Remembrance. The Corporation for National and Community Service announced that the National Day of Service and Remembrance “will be marked by volunteer service, remembrance activities, and pledges to make service an ongoing commitment throughout the year.”

Serve.gov provides a variety of ways to start, join and share your summer of service. Everyone can make a difference and it starts with you!

• Register your project, please go to here
• Find a project near you, please go to AllForGood.Org
• Share your stories here.
• Issue a press release about your participation in United We Serve – a sample release is available here
• For any further questions, please visit the Serve.gov FAQ
• For further information, please visit Corporation for National and Community Service.
• Or if you are a parent looking to help your child, please visit PTA.Org
• And the United We Serve social network is located at MyImpact.Org

POSTED BY: Alice Wu